The air contains a large number of contaminations which can cause great damage in the field of industry. In archives, for example, the drawings stored on safety films can get lost if said safety films are attacked by microorganisms.
Contaminations contained in the breathing air can cause essential damage as well. Due to bacteria, viruses and mould fungi, employees may, for example, fall ill whose sick pay can cost a substantial amount of money.
Furthermore, pollen often cause irritations of the mucosa resulting in serious indisposition.
Suspended particulates or microorganisms can especially also impair the healing process of human beings with a reduced power of resistance, like those affected by hepatitis C or immuno-deficiencies, furthermore dialysis patients, allergic persons, asthmatics and patients who are affected by neuro-dermatitis.
In the Federal Republic of Germany alone, the health and well-being of 30 million human beings is impaired by contaminations in the breathing air.
In order to enable allergic persons to prepare themselves for the often serious disturbances of health, information indicating the kind of pollen that has to be reckoned with is included in the weather report at the relevant times.
Also in sick-rooms and nurseries, bacteria, viruses and mould fungi can be very injurious to health.
Lying down e.g. in a sick-room, an adult breathes in approx. 5 liters of air in one minute.
Standing still, he breathes in approx. 8 liters of air per minute.
During a slow walk, the amount of breathing air increases to 17 liters.
When he engages in sporting activities, e.g. competitive rowing, an adult will breath in up to 140 liters in one minute.
Indoors, the amount of air consumed can be assumed to be approx. 12 liters per minute.
In waiting rooms, offices, restaurants, aeroplanes, an exchange of air is often not provided; in some cases, only a small amount of fresh air of the air conditioning system is supplied so that all the viruses and bacteria spread everywhere.
Contaminations of the breathing air can be subsumed in three groups:
1. Contaminations caused by suspended particulates
a) house dust PA1 b) mites PA1 c) skin scales PA1 d) soot PA1 e) pollen PA1 f) other organic contaminations PA1 g) bacteria PA1 h) viruses PA1 i) mould fungi PA1 j) formaldehyde PA1 k) carbon monooxide PA1 l) noxious fumes PA1 m) unpleasant smells, e.g. cigarette smoke PA1 a) the air is conducted through a roughing filter, PA1 b) the air is irradiated with UV-C light, PA1 c) the air is conducted through a main filter and PA1 d) the air flows through an active carbon filter.
2. Contaminations caused by microorganisms
3. Contaminations in the form of gases
It is the object of the present invention to subject air, especially breathing air, to high-purity filtering and to disinfect it.